1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing system, a data processing method, an information processor and a program for preparing image data representing a form or the like and transmitting the image data via a network.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet and the increase of Web servers, schemes to replace conventional business operation processing with Web-based processing have been advanced. Business operation processing using a Web browser (hereinafter referred to simply as “browser”) capable of display and input of information and simply installed on a personal computer connected to a network has found wide use.
Web servers exist on networks enabling business operations using browsers. Information is exchanged between a client Web browser and a Web server. That is, a Web server receives information input through a browser, processes the information therein, and transmits the processed information to the browser, and the browser displays the processed information. A business operation is performed by a procedure in which such a process is executed a certain number of times and the results of the process are obtained.
In execution of business operations through a Web browser, there is a problem with printing processing necessary for business operations. In particular, in the case of printing of a form or the like through a browser, it is not possible to correctly perform printing in accordance with the format. Ordinary browsers have printing functions but the printing functions of the browsers are intended to make a printer print a hard copy of an image displayed on the browser. Such a printing method has a pagination problem in the case of printing of an image exceeding a print sheet size, a plurality of pages, etc., and does not ensure desired printing results.
On the other hand, a printing processing system has already been proposed in which a server prepares print data according to an instruction from a browser and sends this data to a client.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a network printing system, which is a conventional printing processing system. A client has an information processor 101 such as a personal computer (PC). A browser 102 (data input/output section) inputs data from a server and outputs data to the server. A print output section 103 converts data from the browser 102 into standard print data according to an instruction from the browser 102. A printing machine (printer) 104 is connected to the client.
A network 105 connects servers and clients. The form of this network is not limited to a particular kind if it is compatible with communication procedures in Web environments. For example, the network is a local area network (LAN), the Internet, or a wireless network.
A Web server 106 is formed by an information processor. A network communication control section 107 functions mainly as the Web server 106. A form template storage section 108 stores form templates each of which is used when printing of a form is performed.
A data storage section 109 is a database or the like. Data for business operations are stored in the data storage section 109. A data processing section 110 stores an application logic according to each business operation. An image forming section 111 prepares a form image data in accordance with a predetermined style. Form image data may be either of raster image data and vector image data. A print output section 112 converts data (form image data) prepared by the image forming section 111 into a format such that the printer can output the data. The print output section 112 is a unit ordinarily called “printer driver”. The printer is indicated by 113.
Processing in the network printing system having the above-described configuration will be described with respect to a case where a user inputs a printing instruction to the browser. Ordinarily, the data processing section 110 on the server performs processing for receiving data from the browser 102, analyzing the received data and, if necessary, searching data in the data storage section 109 according to the received data, and sending back a search result to the browser 102. When the browser functions, buttons are ordinarily displayed on the browser 102. When a user of the browser 102 performs an operation such as clicking of a button on the browser 102, the browser 102 makes a request of the server 106 to perform certain processing, and the server 106 performs this processing and sends back a processing result to the browser 102. In this printing processing system, a printing button is provided in an image display area of the browser 102.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a graphical image for business operation processing displayed by the browser. A window 201 of the browser is displayed on a monitor of the PC, for example. A title is indicated in an area 202. Commands provided in the browser 102 are indicated in areas 203 and 204. A command for printing of the contents of a display on the browser is ordinary provided in the areas 203 or 204. When a user selects the printing command indicated in the area 203 or 204, the browser generates print data representing a hard copy of the image displayed in the window 201, and makes the printer print the image based on this print data.
A text field 205 for input/output of the address of a Web server with which a connection is to be established is provided. Field 206 and 207 are provided in which a user makes a selection. A display button 208 is provided. When the display button 208 is clicked, contents selected in the fields 206 and 207 are transmitted to the server side and a response from the server 106 is awaited.
By clicking the display button 208, an image 209 of a form is displayed on the basis of a form name selected in the field 206 and a name of a person selected in the field 207. Simultaneously, a printing button 210 is displayed. The image shown in FIG. 8 represents an example of a personal affairs system. Data on the state of service done in the present month by a person selected in the field 207 is displayed as a monthly form.
The browser receives hypertext markup language (HTML) data for displaying the fields 206 and 207 and the display button 208 from the server, and displays the fields 206 and 207, the display button 208, etc., on the basis of the received HTML data. Also, the browser receives HTML data for displaying the form image 209 and the printing button 210 from the server, and displays the form image 209 and the printing button 210 on the basis of the received HTML data.
When the printing button 210 is clicked, the browser makes a request of the server to send form image data, and delivers to the print output section 102 the form image data transmitted from the server.
Thus, in the above-described proposed printing processing system, the server generates form image data with respect to any of individual instructions without fail and successively returns the image data to the client.
The applicant of the present invention has proposed a printing processing system arranged to improve the efficiency of this processing in such a manner that form image data once generated by a server is temporarily stored in the server, and a client obtains the image data at an arbitrary time. In this system, data on the server is stored for a certain period of time.
The above-described printing processing systems have a problem described below. That is, if concentration of printing instructions in a certain time period occurs to increase the number of data items stored in the, server, i.e., the total data size, the data may, at the worst, overflow the capacity of the storage area of the disk or the like.